Method and means for shaping the bottoms of shoes



March 12, 1929. H, A, DAVENPORT 1,704,822

METHOD AND MEANS FORV SHAPING THE BOTTOMS OF' SHOES Filed April 26, 1927 Patented Mar. 12, i929.

einer seres:

etarra-fr @sie HERMAN" DAVEN'PO'RT; OF BRC*CHJIQSY DASSCHUSETTS, ASSGBTOR TOUNITZD SHOE MACHINERY CGRPBATION, OF PETERSON, NEVJ J EB-SEY, A. CORPORATION 0F NEW JERSEY'.

METHOD AND MEANSI'FOR SHAPIENTG' THE BOTTOJIS OF SHOES.'

Application' ledgApnl 26,

rEh'is inventlion relates to the shaping of the.- bottoms of shoes, and in some of its important aspeetsfihasmore pa-rticulan ref;- erence; to the-shaping-A of, theshanlc portion ofthesole.. Whilein. its more general aspeetst-he invention. i'snotI limited in respect tofiiheshapeimpantedi tofthe sole, it is reminded assof. pantieular, utility inthe manufacture.oishoeseofi a typein which. thesole of` theY finished shoe has: one or` more pro7 nouneecl lines orridges. on its bottom; face, suehffor example, as shoest'he soies of which are shaped to` produce what are commonly termed. oottageshanks.; ,Lt is a eharaeteristie of.. this type of. shankV that the bottom. face ofthe solemnesents one or more welldefined; lines 01:. ridges extending lengthwise of the.s fhanlry,and usuallyalso one or more lines =or. ridges extending.r widthwise of. the sole;` at tliejnnotion ofthe oregart andthe shank.

In. themanuetuneot shoesinwhich the sole tliushas. on itsg'bottoin, faeef one ormore pronounced lines .orv ridges,. for. exemple in tlieJshanlnat. the junction of, the forepart andthe shank,l on in. both. these locations, it has: been .the general. .praetieey heretofore to shape the sole to lthemequiredA oontour'by` a moldingL operation` before the sole is assembled. with other shoex materials on the last.A It is an objeetofthis invention to eliminate the necessity for` such. a preliminary moldingvv operation in the shaping; of. a sole of. this` type.. In; one important aspect tlieinvention accordinglyvprovidesa: novel method which; Consists.'e inapplying rolling;l pitessurel tolevel a. previously unmolded sole after its assembly with thelunpen, and interposing between theY leveling roll` anda portion. oil: the solea form. of substantially un-v yi'elding' material-having e contour substantielly complemental to the desired. ridged formation of the solev to produce the required ridge or ridgesfon. the bottomf of the sole as an incident to theileveling operation; Even when. the sole iszmolded. in a separate operation-1 it requires mone or lessfleveling?r pressure to correct such deformation unavoidably results from-later operations thereon, sueh as the rounding# channel-opening and sewing operations, and inaccordance with this inventimA the level-ing.opere/tions is availed ofi to, produce also. the resulz'here- 1927. Seria-1.110; Neira?.-

t-ofore produced. hypreliminari)7l moldingof thesole.

Inv another aspect, the invention provides novel means foraccomplishingthe objects in View, includingAA a form 0fsubstantially unyieldingmateriali and. o the required contour for transmitting thel pressureof; amlevel.- ing roll to that' portionof the-sole onor: ad; jacentto which one or. more Well-detinod ridges are toibe prod-ueedxv Ift has-been found that such a formmay satisfaotorly-be-made of hand: leather., such as .soleleather?, molded in the required shape', although the invention is not limited toithat particular material. Such aform may be conveniently attached to af flexible seddlejsueh as: used heretofore between a leneling'roll andl the-sole :of the shoe. which may be either'a. saddleof that type which. covers mainlythe shank portion of the sole or one of. the. typethat covers both. the shank and. the fio-repent..A It has been found thatitassistemateially. in producing aV wellfdefined. line or r'idgel on 'the sole to provide in theesole-engagingfaoe ci the fouiney channel loeatedwogposite tothe required ridge,. and. sole-shaping means including ev forinof that. character accordingly constitutes af further featureof the inwention.`

The invention; will nowbe move pant-,icm larly described by refeneneei to t-her accom panying drawings:.andy pointed out in the claims..

ln the drawings,

Fig. l is a; view in side elevation. of. a portion` of: a, leveling machine oi the noll type adapted for=us e.to accomplish; the objects oi this. invention;

Fig. 2. is a. perspectiiremiew of a. form adapted to be interposed, between the.. leveling rolli and thev shanlnportionl of asole to shape the sole to the= contour. of a cottage shank.,- the form. being shownx as attached toa, saddle of the; tygpe illhstnateddn Fig; 1.;

Fig. 3Lis across-sectionalview. illustrating the shaping. of the shanlnl portionA of! the sole;

Fig. 4 is a` View similar toa. portion oi Fig. 1illustrating the useof. a saddlemf a different. type fnom., that, shown. in, Figi. l';

Figi 5 is a perspectiveViewl of theel-saddle illustratedAw in Fig.A 4, showing; nfor'm like that of Fig, 2 attanhed. thereteand iti i is. a perspective View of one type cl. shoe as it appears a ,r the solo has been operated upon in accordance with this in- `vent-ion.

For performing what known as the leveling operation on Welt slices, and solliel'inies also on shoes of other kinds, it. is the conne-on practice to use a machine for subjecting; the soles proe'ressively to rolling` pressure while the shoes are on their lasts. l uch machines are shown and described in detail in various Letters Patent ot the United States, including Letters Patent No. 1,239,664-, granted on September 11. 1917, upon an application ot lVilliani C. Baxter, In such a machine the shoe is supported on a jack comprising' a heel post 10 and a toe support 12, and the jack is oseillated about a pivot 14 to carry the shoe lengthwise back and forth under spring-pressed levcling roll 16 carried by an arm 13, the arin being so controlled as to tip the .roll about an axis extendinglengthwise ot the shoe in time relation to the inoiv-'einents oi the. jack and thus to po ition it for operating; i he desired manner on different portions or the sole. To assist in holding the shoe on the jack and in leveling` the sole, there is tre-- quently used a saddle 2O 1) made ot flexible leather and connected at oppo site sides by springs 22 to a hand lev f 2t which is utilized to apply the saddle tightly over the bottom of the shoe. Such a saddle is especially desirable at the shank portion of the shoe, and may extend rearwardly over the heel seat, as illustrated. Where the character of the Work renders it desirable, there may be used a saddle so formed as to extend also over the forepart of the shoe, as shown at 26 (Figs. l and 5), such a saddle being described and claimed in Letters Patent No. 1,644,971, granted. on October 11, 192'? upon an. application ot myself and E. E. VVinkley. For holding the full-length saddle in place there are provided additional springs 28 connected to the forepart portion of the saddle.

In the manufacture of some styles of shoes it is customary to shape the shank portion of the sole in such a way as to produce what is termed a. cotta-ge shank. It is a characteristie of that type of shank that the solo has on its bottom face one or more Well-defined lilies or ridges extending lengthwise of the shank, and usually also one or more lines or ridges at the junction of the forepart and .the shank` as illustrated for exam ile in Fin.

G. In the shoe there shown the opposite side portions of the sole a slope laterally in the shank from a central peak line or ridge l), while at the junction of the forepart and the shank there are pronounced lines or c in angular relation to each other. It has been the general practice heretofore to produce a shank of that kind by molding the Alternatively,

sole separately before it is assembled the upper on the last. In accordance this invention, in one of its e s, l 1. quired shaping or molding entained after the sole has been assembled with the upper, by the use of a roll which, as hei-ei ustrated, subjects the sole to leveling pi sure. To this end there provided a form 3() for engaging the shank por ion ot the sole lo transmit the pr ssure of 1e leveling roll 16 thereto, the form havinw contour substantially comolemental to that of the desired co'taee sham: and being' made o? substantially unyielding material so as to hold its shape and to serve effectively as a mold or matrix. The invention is not limited to the use of form of any particular material, but heavy sole leather molded in the required shape has been found satisfactory. To hold the form in the proper location on the shoe, it may conveniently be attached in any suitable Way to a saddle 2O of the short type (Figs. l and 2) or to a saddle 26 of the fulllenfith type (Figs. 4 and 5). YWith the saddle and the form in place on the sole, the leveling roll is made to act in the usual manner over the shank and the lorepart, and its pressure in the shank results in ii'nparting to the tempered sole a shape substantially coinplcinental to that of the form 30, as illustralied in Fig. 3. It has been found that it assists in obtaining a sharply delined peak line b on the shank to provide the form 30 With a narrow channel 32 extendingr lengthwise thereof in a location opposite to the peak line, so that the form is substantially out of contact with the sole along that line, at least when the molding pressure begins, the channel serving as a recess into which some of the material of the solo may How in response to pressure applied in locations adjacent thereto. It Will furthermore oe observed that the form has an abrupt front edge 34 so disposed as to lie at the junction of the shank and the forepart of the sole, this edge having,r a contour conformable to the contour of the desired line or ridge in that location on the sole, so that under pressure of the roll the form will produce such a ridge.

lVhile the invention is herein illustrated in its application to the manufacture oit welt shoes, it is not necessarily limited lo the manufacture of shoes of that particular' type, since it is contemplated that it lie uil ized with advantage in the making; of other kinds of shoes. It is further to be understood that the invention is not restricted to the production of shoes having; their soles formed with lines or ridges o? the n-eciseI character herein illustrated.

Having described the invenl claim as new and desire to secure Patent of the United States is:

1. That improvement in methods of shaping the bottoms of shoes of a typo'having one or more Well-defined ridges on tfhe bottom face of the sole, which consists in applying rolling pressure to a previously7 unmolded sole on the bottom ot a shoe to level the sole, and by interposing between the leveling roll anda portion of the role a torm ot substantially nnyielding material having a contour substantially complemental to the desired ridged formation of the sole producing the required ridge or ridges on the bottom oi the sole as an incident to the leveling operation.

2. ThaY improvement in methods ot shap ing the bottoms of shoes o t a type having a cottage shank, which consists in applying rolling pressure to level thc bottom ot a shoe having a sole as yet nnmolded in cottage shank 'l`ormation, and by interposing between the leveling roll and the shank portion otl the sole a torm of substantially nnvielding material having a contour subn stantially eomplemental to that ot a cottage shank producing the desired cottage shank formation on the solx as an ineidentI to the leveling operation.

il, That improvement in methods ot laping the bottoms of shoes ol a 'type having a well-defined ridge at the junction ot the torepart and the shank, which ronsists in applying rolling pressure to level the bottom of a shoe having a solo as yet mimolded in ridged formation, and by interposing betvveen the leveling roll and the shank portion ot the sole a form ot substai'itially nn yielding material having an abrupt edge at the junction of the torepart and the shank producing the desired ridge on the sole as an incident to the leveling operation.

`l'. rl`hat improvement in methods ot shaping the bottoms otr shoes to produce one or more nell-defined ridges on the bottom 'fare oi' the sole ol` the shoe, which consists in applying to the bottom ot an um'nolded sole, zitter it has been assembled n ith the upper, a torni ot substantially url vielding material having a contour such as to shape the sole with the required ridge or ridges thereon by pressure against it, and applying rolling pressure to said Yt'orm to shape the sole.

o. That improvement in methods ot'v shaping tht` bottoms ol shoes to produce eottage shanks, which consists in applying to the shank portion ol' a sole as yet unmolded in cottage shank formation, after the sole has been assembled with the upper, a `t'orm ot substantially unyielding material having a contour substantially wmplemental to that ot a cottage shank, and applying rolling pre-sure to said t'orr to shape the sole.

f3. A machine for shaping the bottom-l ot shoes having, in combination1 a shoe support and a leveling roll relatively movable to level the sole ot a shoe on Said support, and means constructed and arranged to eeoperate with said roll to produce one or more Well-delistcd ridgesr on the bottom tae oit a previomdy unmeldedsole in the leveling operation, said nr; .ns comprising a form ot' subtstantiallj,Y :nyielding material having a contour substantially complementa] to the desired ridged Vformatiol-i of the sole for transmitting the pressure ot the roll to a portion of the sole.

i. A machine for shaping the bottoms of shoes havingr` in rombination, a shoe support and a leveling roll relatively movable to level the sole ot' a shoe on said support, and means constructed and arranged to eooperate vvith said roll to produce a cottage ,shank in a sole previously unmolded in cottage ank 't'orniatimny said means comprising a orm ot' substantially unyielding material having a rontour substantially complemrntal to that oiI the desired cottage shank i'or transmitting the pressure ot' the roll to the shank portion ol the sole.

H. )l machine t'or shaping the bottoms of shoes havingw in combination, a shoe support and a leveling roll relatively movable to level the torepart and shank ot the sole ol a shoe on said support, and a form of subsiantially unyielding material for transmitting the pressure et the roll to the shank portion ot' the sole, said term having an abrupt edge arranged to lie at the junction ot the torepart and the shank to produce by the leveling pressure a ridge extending Widthivise ot a sole previously unmolded in ridged formation.

l). A machine for shaping the bottoms ot shoes having, in combination, a shoe support and a roll relatively movable to apply leveling pressure to the sole ot a shoe on the' support, and a saddle of flexible material adapted to be applied between the roll and the shoe bottom and ot. such length as to extend over the Yt'orepart and the shank of the sole, said saddle having secured thereto a torni ot sulostantiall)Y nnyielding material in position to engage the shank portion ot the sole and having a rontonr substantially eomplemental to that o't' a cottage shank.

it). A machine tor shaping the bottoms of shoes having, in combination, a shoe support and a roll relatively movable to shape the sole of a shoe on said :nipport, and a i'orm of hard leather molded to a contour substantially eouiplemental to thatV ot' a cottage shank tor transmitting the pressure ot' said roll to the shank portion of the sole.

l1. VIn a n'iachine ot the class def-ieribed, the combination with a shoe support and a roll relatively movable to shape the solo ot' a shoe on said support, ot a t'ornl t'or transmitting the pressure of the roll to a portion ot' the sole, said form having' different portions of its sole-engagingn face meeting at an angle and having a channel in said face at the vertex of said angle.

12. 1n :l machin@ of the dass dosclbed, ihv wnllnl'mtmn with a :whoe suppmt and a mh ielatvel :1 shoe on said support, of a form porti on of the tour Substan y movable to Shape the sole of for trans- )resSluc of the 1011 t0 the shank sole, said form having a contially complemental to that of u cottage shank und having in its sole-engaging face a channel so arranged as to be l0- Catcd opposite to the peak of the cottage shank.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

HERMAN A. DAVENPORT. 

